A first electronic device includes a first coil that is operative in at least two modes. In a first mode, the first coil may be utilized to moves a membrane to produce one or more sound waves, register movement of a membrane to detect one or more sound waves, or generates one or more haptic outputs. In the second mode, the first coil may be used to inductively transmit power to and/or inductively receive power from a second coil included in a second electronic device. In various cases, the second coil may be a dedicated inductive power transmission coil. In other cases, the second coil may be capable of multimode operation similar to the first coil.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A system for inductive power transfer, comprising: a first electronic device having a membrane; a first coil associated with the first electronic device; and a controller operable to change the first coil between a first mode and a second mode, wherein: the first coil is operable in the first mode to move the membrane to produce sound using the membrane; the first coil is operable in the second mode to inductively transmit power wirelessly to a second electronic device, the power received from a power supply physically coupled to the first coil; and the first electronic device applies current of at least one first frequency to the first coil in the first mode and of at least one second frequency in the second mode.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first coil is a component of a speaker of the first electronic device.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second electronic device includes an additional controller operable to change a second coil between a third mode and a fourth mode, wherein: the second coil is operable in the third mode to move an additional membrane to produce one of additional sound or an additional haptic output or detect the additional sound using the additional membrane; and the second coil is operable in the fourth mode to inductively transmit power to the first electronic device or inductively receive power from the first electronic device.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the second coil is a component of at least one of a speaker of the second electronic device, a microphone of the second electronic device, or a haptic device of the second electronic device.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first coil is a component of an acoustic component of the first electronic device.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first coil is positioned around at least one center magnetic element.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one center magnetic element comprises a permanent magnet.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one center magnetic element comprises an electromagnet.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the electromagnet comprises a fields coil.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the electromagnet is activated in the first mode such that a polarity of the electromagnet at least one of opposes or matches a polarity of the first coil.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the electromagnet is deactivated in the second mode.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the electromagnet is activated in the second mode such that the electromagnet assists the first coil in inductively transmitting the power to the second electronic device.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein a first surface of the first electronic device is configured to mate with a second surface of the second electronic device.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the mating positions the first coil to be in proximity to a second coil associated with the second electronic device.
15. The system of claim 1 , further comprising the second electronic device.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the least one first frequency is between 20 hertz to 20 kilohertz and the at least one second frequency is above 20 kilohertz.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein applying the current to the first coil of the at least one second frequency causes the at least one first coil to at least one of: move the membrane to produce the sound wherein the sound is audibly imperceptible by a human; or not move the membrane.
18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first coil is simultaneously operable in at least the first mode and the second mode.
19. An electronic device, comprising: a first coil; a weight element; a housing; a mounting mechanism moveably coupling the weight element to the housing; and a controller operable to change the first coil between a first mode and a second mode, wherein: the first coil is operable in the first mode to move the weight element to produce a haptic output via a surface of the housing, the haptic output providing a tactile sensation via the surface; the first coil is operable in the second mode to inductively transmit power to a second electronic device; and the electronic device applies current of a first frequency to the first coil in the first mode and a second frequency in the second mode.
20. A method for inductively transferring power, the method comprising: operating a first coil associated with a first electronic device in a first mode wherein the first coil is operable in the first mode to detect sound based on movement of a membrane; and operating the first coil in at least one second mode wherein the first coil is operable in the second mode to inductively transmit power to a second electronic device.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
April 4, 2014
August 7, 2018
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